What is farro, anyway??
Farro is an ancient whole grain derived from the wheat family and loaded with protein, fiber, zinc and B vitamins. It is often found in Middle-Eastern and Italian cuisine and is used in soups and salads. The texture is chewy with a nutty flavor, which I personally love because it gives dishes more dimension. Tip: It’s best to buy pearled farro to avoid soaking and longer cooking times.
Lentils Lentils Lentils!
Of all the legumes out there, lentils are probably my favorite! They are so versatile and can be used as a meat substitute like a champ! These little legumes are a powerhouse when it comes to nutrition. They are packed with cholesterol-lowering fiber, B vitamins, protein and minerals. They are rock stars when it comes to managing blood-sugar disorders because the high amount of fiber prevents blood sugar levels from rising rapidly after a meal. Lentils are also a great plant-based source of iron. Unlike uncooked beans that need to be soaked overnight prior to cooking, lentils can be cooked stove-top and ready to eat in about 30 minutes.
This potato isn’t just sweet!
Just 1 cup of sweet potatoes has a whopping 214% of vitamin A (needed for healthy eyes, skin and teeth). Also a great source of vitamin C, manganese, copper, B vitamins and fiber, sweet potatoes are a great starchy choice. Contrary to popular belief, sweet potatoes are actually good for us when it comes to blood sugar regulation because of the amount of fiber per serving, just one medium sized sweet potato has about 6 grams of dietary fiber.
Lentil & farro bowl with mushrooms, kale and roasted sweet potatoes
Textures and flavors come together making this healthy dish a Fall comfort food.
Ingredients
- Farro:
- 2 cups dry pearled farro, rinsed
- 4 cups water or vegetable broth (or combination of both) (add more if needed, if too much water, turn the heat up a little to absorb)
- Dash of salt
- Lentils:
- 2 cups dry lentils, rinsed
- 5-6 cups water or vegetable broth (or combination of both) – Add additional water as needed
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 tsp chili powder
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Sweet Potatoes:
- 2 pounds sweet potatoes (about 3 large)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tsp salt
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- Mushroom & Kale saute:
- 3 cups kale, chopped, stems removed
- 1 cup baby portobella mushrooms, chopped
- 1 tsp olive oil
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- Salt and pepper to taste
Directions
- Step 1 Rinse the farro, pour into a medium saucepan. Add water or broth and bring to a boil. Turn down to medium-low, cover and simmer for 30 minutes, checking to make sure there is adequate water. Cover and give it another 10-15 minutes or until desired texture.
- Step 2 Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Peel and chop sweet potatoes, add to a large bowl. Drizzle oil and sprinkle all ingredients, stirring to combine. Pour onto sheet pan so they are in a single layer. Bake for 30 minutes, flipping half-way through.
- Step 3 Rinse lentils and pour into a medium saucepan. Add water or broth and the remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil and turn down to low. Simmer for 30 minutes or until desired doneness, stirring occasionally and adding water as needed.
- Step 4 In a saute pan, add oil and saute garlic for a minute (don’t allow to burn), add mushroom and kale and saute another 3-5 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste.
- Step 5 Plating: Once all ingredients are finished cooking, in individual pasta sized bowls, add ½ cup farro, ½ cup lentils and ½ cup sweet potatoes. Top with spoonful of kale mixture and garnish with pumpkin seeds or slivered almonds and dash of hot sauce if desired. (Picture shows garnish of ground almonds and hot sauce.)